Wheel rakes are used to rake crop materials to gather the material into windrows for baling and to promote drying of the material. Wheel rakes are typically configured as a V-rake in which two sets of rake wheels on each side of the rake turn and gather material to the middle of the rake to discharge the material into a windrow. “Carted” V-rakes may include a main frame having two “tool bars” which extend from the main frame to which a set of rake wheels are attached. The rake arms may be positioned above the main frame in a closed or traveling position or extended in the form of a “V” in the open or raking position.
Commercial wheel rakes allow the raking width to be changed manually by the operator. The width of the windrow may also be changed manually in some commercial rakes; however, a change in the windrow width typically causes the raking width to change and vice versa. Such rakes do not provide independent raking width and windrow width settings.
A need exists for wheel rakes that allow the raking width and the windrow width to be independently controlled and thereby increase the use range of the rake. A need also exists for methods that allow for the raking width and/or windrow width to be controlled by the operator from the pull vehicle (e.g., tractor).
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.